Archive for August 2013

I have always been a big believer in the important role that professional bodies play in the world of Public Relations. Promoting a common set of standards across this reputation-challenged profession is a good thing.

However, with no common enforced regulations, perhaps the quality of our work can by judged by the standards we set for ourselves?

Today, unprecedented public access to communication presents new challenges and opportunities for organisations – and for global society. This presents a new mandate for public relations and communication management: a set of roles, responsibilities and principles hereby endorsed by delegates to the 2012 World Public Relations Forum in Melbourne, Australia.

The new mandate

Public relations and communication professionals have a mandate to:

define and maintain an organisation’s character and values;

build a culture of listening and engagement; and

instill responsible behaviours by individuals and organisations.

I’d strongly recommend you to take some time to review the Melbourne Mandate and see how it applies to the work you’re doing.

Given the changes taking place in the world of communications this is a good thing. As I’ve said before, as long as PR agencies are using proprietary measurement as a competitive differentiator we’re in trouble.

I should preface this post by pointing out that I spent many of my childhood weekends surrounded by racing cars. When I wasn’t watching my father trackside, I was watching the sport on TV. While my brother has continued the family tradition, these days, besides the annual trip to Le Mans, my motorsport habit is mostly sustained through traditional and social media.

Maurice Hamilton is a veteran journalist who has been covering Formula 1 since the mid-seventies. In the video below he talks about how he got started in journalism in the 1970s and how that world has radically changed over the intervening decades.

For anyone with an interest in motorsport it’s recommended, for others, well your mileage may vary .